Fishing-reel.



` P. GATUGGI.

FISHING REEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.29, 1912.

Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. GATUGCI.

FISHING REEL. APPLICATION FILED P21129, 1912.

Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.`

@man/6oz WMV , in plan the friction the friction drag.

'freeing the spool erated to throw the :driving UNITED STATES iariuntr orrion PLINY CATUCCI, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNQB, T A. F. MEISSELBAOH &: BRO.,

OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPQRATIDN OF NEW JERSEY.

FISHING-nant.

Specification of Letters Patent.' i

Application led February 29, 1912. L s eriallNo. 6804398.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PLINY CA'ruooi, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing- Reels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of fishing reels known in the art as surf reels, and is designed for use in angling for iish considerable size although the' devices hereinafter described are aplicable to shing reels of any type. It 1s therefore necessary that the parts should be made with considerable strength'and have means for -om the winding mechanism, so that said spool may rotate freely and without material friction,- at times when the line is being cast. Additional features, such as the usual click drag and friction drag are alsol provided. The principal feature however, of my invention resides in the mechanism of throwing ythe driving gear into and out of mesh with the spool pinion, so that the spool may revolve freely in its bearings when the line is being cast, and yet permit such mechanism to be instantly opgear and spool pinion instantly into mesh.

I have engrafted the principal features of my invention upon the structures illustrated in prior patents granted to me, which structures are now in common use andy Well known in the art. Y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of my invention. Fig. 2 illustratesan end view of the reel showin parts. Fig.' 3 il ustrates an inside view of the back head plate illustrating particularly the click drag and the friction drag. Fig. 4 illustrates a side elevation of the front' head plate detached from the frame.` Fig. 5 illustrates in series the parts which make up the gear shifting mechanism. Fig. 6 illustrates disk forming a party of Fig. 7 illustrates in secspring washer.' Fig. 8

tion the cambered is a plan of one of the star spring disks..

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the head plate and operating slide.

the external gear shiftingv Similar reference numerals refer' to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The reel frame consists of the head rings l and 2, which are of general annular channel shape and connected together by means of the s acing studs 3. The back head plate 4 may he secured in the back head ring 2, in any convenient or desired manner as for example, by the means illustrated in my prior Patent No. 1,016,913, dated Feb. 6, 1912 The front head'plate 5 maybe secured in the front head ring in substantially the same manner as illustrated in the same patent or in any other convenient manner as may be desired.

Centrally secured in each of the head plates 4 and 5 are `the pivot bearings 6 and respectively, to receive the journals 8 and 9 ofthe spool spindle 10.' The bearing 7 is removably secured in the head plate 5, by means of a bushing 7 the latter being very rInly set into a central aperture 1n the head 5. I also provide the adjust-ing thrust bearing 11 for preventin the end play of the spool spindle. Rigicy mounted upon thespool sindle 10 is the spool body 12. The endsl o this spool body areenlarged as shown and provided with the shoulders 13 and the sma l extensions 14, which are originally left projecting outward, as shown in dotted lines at 15, so that the spool flanges may be slipped over the same and up tothe shoulders 13 and thereafter the projections 1.5 are spun down or riveted over the apertured spool flanges, so that asv completed, the spool is as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The spindle l1 is shown as squared at 1 6 to receive the click wheel 17 saidiclick wheel being held in position by means of the small co'tter pin 1B. Between the click wheel 1 7 and the end of the spool head, I locate the iction drag mechanism. This consists, first of a pair of spring star wheels 19', the arms of which are cambered in such a manner that their extreme peripheries are in contact, the inner star wheel bearing directly against the spool head. Between the outer star wheel and the click 17 I locatel thefriction drag disk 19, said friction drag disk being Provided with [adpair of ratchet teeth diametrically dispose upon its eriphery. Between the friction drag disk and the click wheel on the one side and between said drag disk and the star wheel on the other side, I locate respectively series of friction disks. This structure is such that when the spring disks, friction disks, friction drag wheel and click wheel are pressed down upon the protruding end of the spinthe click wheel, a very tti ` 28, so that it may inserted outside of considerable friction is oi'ered tolthe rotation of the friction drag disk around the end of the spindle. As a means for operating this drag mechanism, I locate in the back head plate a spring pressed pawl 20, said pawl consisting of a flat piece of metal pivoted at 21 upon the back lhead plate, having an upturned end 22 for engagement with the teeth on the friction drag disk. The spring 23 has one end secured to the pawl and the other end on vthe inside of the backvhead plate as shown, so lhat the ltendency of the spring is to maint-ain the upturned` end of the pawl in position for engagement with the ratchet teeth of the drag di'sk. Means dle with the `Cotter pin must also be `employed for throwing thisv pawl into and out of engagement. For this purpose, I provide the pawl with an exten sion at the rear of this pivot, such extension forming a sort of cam 24. Adjacent to the location of this cam, slide, said slide consisting of a sliding push pin 25,'v extending from the outside of the back head plate and having at its inner end a cam 26, and a spring tail piece 27. This spring tail piece is bent into V shape as at l slide over from one side to the other of the V shaped projection 29 formed on the inside of 'the back head plate. This cam piece is located in such position that when slid in one direction it will enage 'the cam or extension4 24' on the pawl 20 and throw itout of on the drag disk. In this position the spring tail piece with its V shaped'bent end will rest upon one side of the projection` 29. When slid in the opposite direction, the cam will pass out of engagement of the cam on the spring pawl and the V shaped tail'piece will snap over the projectionf-29 and thus be carried out of engagement with the cam on the spring paw -This will permit the spring 23 to throw the pawlback into position for engagement with the teeth on the dra g disk. The sliding push pin is provided with a button on the outsidetor hand manipulation. n

For operating tion with the click wheel 17 I provide the rusual sliding click 30 in the back head plate,

said click. having an' external button which it can be pushed out from or in toward theJ center of the head. plate. This click has the usual arrow point for engagement with the teeth of the click wheel when in its inner position. The click is alsolproin the said notches, 32,

I provide an operating.

the path of the teeth y the click drag in vconnec-l imacat vided with a pair of notches, 32, 32, one on each side, asshown,

for engagement with the cligk spring 33. The latter consists of a wire bent up into the form shown in Fig. 3, and located around the click wheel with its upturned ends in position -to bear upon each side of the arrow point of the click or 32 according to the position in which said click is located. The click spring is provided with a loop by which it is held in place under the spring cap 34 and screw 35. It will that no matter in which direction the spool is rotated, if the click is pushed in it will exert a spring drag upon the rotation of the spool and if the friction drag pawl is released, a considerable friction drag may be applied to the spool` to prevent the free running outof the line, as when playing a fish. The mechanism thus far described differs but slightly and only in minor details from the corresponding structures described in my prior patents, but inasmuch as it helps make up the`complete reel in its improved form, I have thought it best to describe it in detail. l

The spool spindle 10 is provided with the usual pinion 36 rigidly xed thereto or en, gagement with the driving gear 37, the latter rigidly mounted upon the gear shaft 38 which is mounted in bearings in the front head plate. The usual crank 39 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 38 by means of the nut 39. It will be readily seen that by the rotation of the shaft 38, when the gear 37 is in mesh with the pinion 36, the spool may be rotated tov wind in the line. As above indicated, there are many times when it is desirable to completely free the spool from any coperating parts which might serve to retard its `free rotation.

I have already described the means by which the friction drag and the click\ drag maybe thrown into and out of operation,l A

so as to permit the spool to revolve freely,

so far as the connec -ions with the back head plate are concerned. It now remains todescribe the mechanism whereby the driving gear and the pinion are separated from each other, so that there will be no frictional drag whatsoever upon the free running of the spool and the consequentree paying out of theline, except ot coursesu'ch friction as may develop in the pivot bearings for the spool spindle. lThe front head plate, as shown in Fig. 1, is made of vulcanized rubber, fiber, metal or other suitable material and it has an aperture 35' of considerable size running directly through it.I In this aperture bearing 40, said bushing having the lnner dange 41 resting against the inner face of the ,head plate. -Within this bearing, I locate the bearing shaft 42, said bearing shaft being nicely fitted within the aperture' is the permanently fixed bushing of the bushing 40. The outer end of the bearing shaft 42 is provided with a cap 43 either mtegral with the shaft 42 or such cap may be a. separate piece and permanently secured to shaft. This cap overhangs the outer end of the bushing 40 as sho-wn, and

Iis provided with a flange 44 which latter `,has

an extension or pointer 45 integral therewith. The inner end of the bearing shaft 42 is screw threaded as at 41 to receive the nut 46, beneath which I locate the spring washer 47. Running longitudinally of the shaft 42 as at 48 Iprovide a slot to receive the inwardly projecting tongue 49 of the spring washer 47, so that said spring washer must rotate in frictional engagementK with the flange 41 of the bushing 40. By providing this spring washer I also obviate the tendency of the nut 46 to unscrew' as the bearing shaft 42 is rotated from side to side. Passing eccentrically through this bearing lshaft 42 is the bearing aperture 50 to receive the gear shaft 38 and in order to form suitable bearings for vsaid shaft, I provide thereon the cone 51 atthe one end adjacent to the gear wheel 37 and at the other end an adjustable cone 52, the lat-ter being provided -b with a pin 53 which extends into the longitudinal slot 54 in the side of the shaft 38,

so as to prevent any relative rotation of the cone 52 With respect to the shaft 38. The outer end' of the shaft 38 is screw threaded as at 55 to receive the spring nut 56. Both ends of the bearing aperture are coned to form' bearings for coperation with the ytwo cones 51 and 52. It will thus be seen that a substantially rigid bearing is provided in the headplate in'which the gear shaft 38 may lfreely rotate andalso that properprovision is made to take up for the wear of the parts. v

The eccentricity of the aperture 50 with respect to the bearing shaft 42 is such that when the axes of the spool spindle 10, the

bearing shaft 42 and the gear shaft 38 lie in' the same plane, the. gear`37 will be in mesh with the pinion 36. If however, the angler desires to free such connection, he does so by rotating the cap 43 through an angle of a little more than 90 degrees which, carryl ing with it as it does, the bearing shaft 42 and the eccentrically located shaft 38, will carry the gear 37 completely free from the pinion 36 and thus permit the spool to revolve freely without hindrance from the, described parts. In order to limit the rotation of the cap 43 so as to prevent .undue Arotation of the bearing shaft 42 in one direction or the other, I provide Va projection 57 upon the side of the bushing 40 and outside o the head plate. In the cap 43 and flange 44, I provide a corresponding slot for coperation with this projection 57 said slot being considerably larger than the width of the projection 57, so that the cap 43 4may be tice I mark as On rotated Within the bearing bushing 42 back and forth through an angle of' more than 90 degrees. This, I find to be ample-for throwing the gears into and out of mesh.

0n the outside of the head plate and in position for coperatie-n with the index pointer 45, I locate two significant marks or spots to indicate the limits of the throw of the eccentric. These spots `in pracand Off to indicate, in the one position, that the gears are in mesh, and in the other position, that they are out o-fmesh. The location of the cap 43 just beneath the crank 39 is of material advantage to the/fisherman for the reason that in practice, the right hand is usually upon the crank and whenever desired, he may slip his hand from the handle of the crank to the eccentric cap 43 giving ita slight turn in one direction or the other as the case' may be, tothrow the gears into or out of engagement. This he may do instantly as when casting and throw the index po-inter 45 to the olf position, when the line will pay out freely with no drag upon it whatsoever. After the bait has struck, hemay then reverse the eccentric and throw the gears l37 and 36 into mesh when the reel will be ready for winding in at any instant; the operator may then throw in any or both of the friction drags and thus be able to play the fish at will.

The front' head plate is shown in the drawings as secured in thefront head ring by the mechanism disclosed in my above named Patent, No. 1,016,913. The head plate consists of the recessed circular block of, rubber or other suitable'material which is provided with the flanged metal ring 58 at its periphery, said flanged ring also being provided with a series of circumferentiall projections 59 which are inserted through corresponding-notches in the head ring, after which the head plate with its anged ring is given a short twist when the 'locking pin 60 will snap -into the aperture 61 provided therefor. l In this way the head plate is tirmly locked to the head ring and ywhen all the parts are'assembled the work of separating them takes but an instant. In orderto facilitate the slight angular rotation of the 'front head plate to releasel the same from the headring, I provide a rigid projectin button 62, so as to give -the operator su cient leverage by which he may slightly rotate the head plate in the' head ring afterthe locking pin has been released. The rotational friction of the` bearing shaft 42 within the. bushing 40 may be`A readily regulated through the nut 46 land the` spring washer 47. In practice I find it desirable to screw up this nut 46 fairly tight so as to compress the Jspring washer 47,' (Which-originally is slightly cambered) so as to draw the capV 43 intoquite close frictional engagement w'ith the outer end of the bushing 40. This frictional engagement between the shaft 42 and the bushing 40 should be sufliciently rigid to hold the parts in position either on or off and yet permit the comparative free shifting from one position to the other.

All of the parts of the structure become immediately accessible by removing the front head plate as above described. After the front head plate has been removed the spool may be removed fromthe remaining part of the frame for cleaning or oiling or for any other purpose. The llability of the parts and disarrangement or injury or unnecessary wear has been reduced to a minimum and yet the construction has been kept, within reasonable limits, very simple.

As a means for oiling the parts without changing the adjustment in the bearings more accessible, I provide the gear shaft 38 with a central oil hole 63,y drilling the same axially therein and then tapping said hole from the side of the shaft as at 64. In this way oil will pass to the two cone bearings 5l and 52, and through the oil hole 65 in the slot' 48, whence it will lubricate the bearing parts between the said bearing shaft 42 and t-he bushing 40. rI`hus oil will pass to all of the parts in the shifting mechanism from the single outside hole 63.

I claim,

1. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing mounted in one of said head plates, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft having an aperture therethrough, said aperture lying parallel with but eccentric to the axis of said shaft, a cap upon one end of said bearing shaft for frictional engagement with said bushing bearing, `an adjustable friction device upon the other end of said shaft for engagement with said bushing bearing, a driving shaft mounted in said aperture, gear connections between said driving shaft and said spool spindle and means for rotating said bearing shaft to connect and -dis connect said gear connections.

2. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing mounted in one of said head plates, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing bearing, an elastic friction device connected with said bearing shaftand bearing upon the end of said bushing bearing for preventing the free rotation of said shaft in said head plate, a driving shaft rotatably and eccentrically mounted in said bearing shaft, gear connections between said driving shaft and order to make f and said spool said spool spindle, means for rotating said bearing shaft in one direction or the other to engage or disengage said gear connections.

3. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mount ed in said head plates, a bushing bearing rigidly mounted in one of said head plates, a cylindrical bearing shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft having an aperture lying parallel with and eccentric to the axis of said bearing shaft, a driving shaft mounted in said aperture, devices connected to said bearing shaft for frictional engagement with each end of said bushing bearing, means for adjusting one of said devices whereby the friction between said parts may be varied, gear connections between said driving' shaft and spool spindle and means for rotating said bearing shaft to connect and disconnect said gear connections.

4. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing rigidly mounted in one of said head plates, a cylindrical bearing shaft rotatably mounted 'in said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft having an aperture lying parallel with and eccentric to the axis of said bearing shaft, a drivingshaft mounted in said aperture, a spring washer connected to' said bearing shaft for frictional engagement with the end of Said bushing bearing, means for adjusting said spring washer whereby the friction between said parts may be varied, gear connections between said driving shaft and thc spool s pindle,means for rotating said bearingk shaft to connect and disconnect said gear connections, and means for limiting the rotation of said cylindrical bearing shaft.

5. In a shing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool spindle' rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing mounted in one of said head plates, said bushing bearing being provided upon one end with a flange and the opposite end projecting outside of the head plate, a cy'- lindrical bearing shaft rotatably mounted 1n said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft havingl upon its outer end an overhanging cap for frictional engagement with the outer end of said bushing bearing, a spring washer mounted upon the inner end of said bearing shaft in frictional engagement with the.flange of said bushing bearing, a means for adjusting the pressure of said spring washer upon said flange, aA driving shaft eccentrically mounted in said bearing shaft, gear connections between said driving shaft spindle and means for rotating said bearing shaft to connect and disconnect said gear connections,

6. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool spindle rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing in one of said head plates, said bushing bearing being provided upon one end with a flange and the opposite end projecting outside of the head plate, a cylindrical bearing shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft having upon its outer end an overhanging cap for frictional engagement with the outer end of said bushing bearing, a spring washer mounted upon the inner end of said bearing shaft in frictional engagement with the flange of said bushing bearing, a nut screwed upon the end of said bearing shaft for adjusting the pressure of said spring washer upon said ange, a driving shaft eccentrically mounted in said bearing shaft, gear connections between said driving shaft and said spool spindle, means for rotating said bearing shaft to connect and disconnect said gear connections and means for limiting the rotation of said cylindrical bearing shaft. 1

7. In a shing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in lsaid frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mounted in said head plates, a bushing bearing mounted in one of said head plates, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in said bushing bearing, said bearing shaft having an aperture therethrough, saidaperture lying parallel with but eccentric to the axis of said shaft, a cap upon one end of said bearing Ashaft for frictional engagement with said bushing bearing, a spring washer adjustably secured uponthe other end of said shaft for engagement with said bushing bearing, a driving shaft mounted in said aperture, gear connections between said driving shaft and said spool and spindle, means for rotating said bearing shaft to connect and disconnect said gear connections, and indexing mechanism uponvsaid bearing shaft and head plate for indicating the position of said bearing shaft.

8. In a fishing reel, the combination of a reel frame, head plates mounted in said frame, a spool and spindle rotatably mounted in said frame, a bushing bearing mounted in one of said head plates, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in `said bushing bearing, a spring washer connected with said bearing shaft and bearing upon the end of said bushing bearing for preventing the free rot-ation of said shaft in said head plate, a driving shaft rotatably and eccentrically mounted in said bearing shaft, gear connections between said driving shaft and said spool spindle, means for rotating said bearing shaft in one direction or `the other to engage or disengage said gear`c'onnections, and indexing mechanism upon bearing shaft and head plate for indicating the position of said bearinc.; shaft.

In testimony whereo I have hereunto set my hand this February, A1912.

PLINY oATUCcI. 

